1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a technical field of an image shake correction apparatus and an image pickup apparatus. More specifically, the present invention relates to a technical field for achieving, in an image shake correction apparatus and an image pickup apparatus which include a fixed member, an intermediate member and a movable member, prevention of unnecessary rotational movement of the movable member in a plane perpendicular to the direction of an optical axis upon image shake correction and assurance of a smooth moving operation of the movable member.
2. Description of the Related Art
Some image pickup apparatus of video cameras, still cameras and so forth include an image shake correction apparatus which moves a lens or an image pickup device in a direction perpendicular to the direction of the optical axis of the lens or the image pickup device to carry out image shake correction.
One of such image shake correction apparatus is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2008-64844 (hereinafter referred to as Patent Document 1) which includes a base member or fixed member and a holding member or movable member having a lens or an image pickup device held thereon and movable in two directions perpendicular to the direction of the optical axis of the lens or the image pickup device with respect to the base member.
In the image shake correction apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1, a guide shaft is attached to the fixed member and extends in a first direction perpendicular to the direction of the optical axis. A pair of supporting pieces are provided on the holding member and have elongated holes elongated in a second direction perpendicular to both of the direction of the optical axis and the first direction. The supporting pieces are supported for sliding movement on the guide shaft. An annular rolling preventing member is supported on the guide shaft and engages for sliding movement with a sliding groove which is formed on the holding member and extends in the second direction.
In the image shake correction apparatus, the holding member is moved in the first direction integrally with the rolling preventing member with respect to the base member under the guidance of the guide shaft. Further, the rolling preventing member is slidably moved along the sliding groove to move the holding member in the second direction with respect to the base member.
Since the rolling preventing member remains in a state wherein it is always inserted in the sliding groove, rotation of the holding member in a plane perpendicular to the direction of the optical axis is prevented upon movement of the holding member in the first direction and the second direction.